


Late Spring

by Semi_problematic



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Birthday Presents, Fluff, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-08
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-05-04 01:21:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14581833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Semi_problematic/pseuds/Semi_problematic
Summary: Anonymous said:It's Carl's birthday and Negan goes to Alexandria with a present wrapped in newspapers and he gives it to Carl with a kiss on the cheek and a happy birthday and when Carl opens it he cries happy tears and hugs him tight





	Late Spring

"What's this?" In Carls hand was a rectangle shaped box wrapped in a bunch of different newspapers. Some were telling stories when the world just began to end while others told stories that seemed boring now. Then again, when you fight walkers day in and day out, a lot of things seem very uninteresting.

"It's a present. You said your birthday was in the spring and the winter weather just ended last week. I figured this would be right around the time." They hadn't had calendars for years. Some people would try to keep track of the days and what day of the week it would be but they all grow bored of it. Calendars aren't really needed. Carl was sure if they knew what year it was they would feel worse than better.

"You didn't have to." Carl lied. Getting presents was always his favorite. When he was younger he got to open a present a day leading up to his birthday then on the day of he got to open the rest. For Carl, the thing inside wasn't even the good part. Tearing the paper was fun. Ripping it to shreds and hearing all the different sounds each type of paper would make. 

"It's your birthday-" 

"Possibly." Carl added. He lifted up the box and looked at it in each direction. The box was about five inches tall and a foot long on the long ends then six inches on the smaller ends. Washed out photos stuck to the box as if they were glued down over and over and over. Negan took his time on this. Or made someone else take their time on it. "My birthday was more towards the end of spring but it doesn't matter." 

"Do you know how to be grateful or do you just think everyone owes you everything?" Negan asked, crossing his arms. He rolled his eyes so hard it actually looked painful. "Just open the damn present and thank me. This is what I get for being nice."

"It's very nice." Carl looked down at the box, chewing on his lip. "And I'm very grateful for living and having a place to stay and people that love me... but presents, really? It's nice, but I just didn't think that kinda stuff mattered anymore."

"Then don't open it. Stop being dramatic and either give it back or rip it apart." Negan shook his head. "I asked Dwight what people like for birthdays and he said presents so I thought-"

Carl started to pull the paper off of the box, pulling the lid off of it. He set the box down on a nightstand and picked up the item inside. It was a book, a library book, with warn out pages and letters and words taped on the spine to show where in the library it needs to be put. On the cover was many different stars and planets all having their own shapes and sizes. Big white letters spelled out the word universe. The book was probably a thousand pages, maybe more. 

"Negan.." Carl whispered. He opened the book gently, turning through each page. Pictures and words were meshed together inside, both being very beautiful. "This is amazing..." 

"I know." Negan grinned. "You always teach Judith about the stars so I figured when I found this book... you would use it to teach her or teach yourself. I dunno. It was in an abandoned library about an hour away... if you wanna go sometime."

Carl wiped tears from his face, looking down at each page. "Of course I want to go. I mean, I love reading and we're running out of books. I could collect some." Carl finally closed the book. (Negan was worried that the kid would never let it go.) "Thank you..." He wrapped his arms around Negan and held him close.

Negan chuckled, patting Carls back. He pulled away and put his hand on the back of his head, pulling him closer. He kissed the top of his head and smiled, knowing it was where Carl couldn't see. "Happy birthday."


End file.
